Chapter 196

The morning sun cast golden rays through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Sebastian Blackwood’s penthouse, illuminating the sleek marble floors. Lillian stretched beneath the silk sheets, her body still humming from the intensity of last night’s full moon. Beside her, Sebastian slept soundly, his muscular arm draped possessively over her waist.

She carefully slipped out of bed, not wanting to wake him. The events of the previous night replayed in her mind—the way he had claimed her beneath the silver glow of the moon, the raw power in his touch, the whispered promises that still sent shivers down her spine.

Padding barefoot to the ensuite bathroom, Lillian caught her reflection in the mirror. The mark on her neck—Sebastian’s claiming bite—stood out starkly against her skin. A thrill shot through her. She was his now, irrevocably.

A soft knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.

“Miss Lillian?” Sophia’s voice floated through. “Breakfast is ready whenever you are.”

“Thank you, Sophia. I’ll be down shortly.”

She dressed quickly in a simple sundress, her movements light. The penthouse was quiet, save for the distant clinking of silverware from the dining room. When she entered, Oliver was already seated, swinging his legs as he munched on a stack of pancakes.

“Morning, Lillian!” he chirped, syrup smeared on his cheek.

She laughed, ruffling his hair. “Morning, trouble. Where’s your dad?”

“Still sleeping,” Oliver said, rolling his eyes. “He’s so lazy.”

Sebastian’s deep voice cut in from behind her. “I heard that.”

Lillian turned, her breath hitching as he strode into the room, dressed in a tailored suit that hugged his broad shoulders. His golden eyes locked onto hers, darkening with unspoken desire.

“Good morning,” he murmured, brushing a kiss against her temple.

Oliver groaned. “Ugh, gross.”

Sebastian smirked, taking his seat at the head of the table. “You’ll understand when you’re older.”

Theo, their head gamma, entered then, his expression serious. “Alpha, we have a situation.”

Sebastian’s playful demeanor vanished. “What is it?”

“Alpha Maximilian Voss has arrived at the border. He’s demanding an audience.”

Lillian’s stomach twisted. Maximilian was Sebastian’s biggest rival—a ruthless Lycan chairman who had made no secret of his disdain for their alliance.

Sebastian’s jaw tightened. “Tell him I’ll meet him in the conference room.”

Theo nodded and left.

Lillian reached for Sebastian’s hand. “What does he want?”

Sebastian’s grip was firm. “Nothing good.”

Oliver, sensing the tension, frowned. “Is everything okay?”

Sebastian forced a smile. “Of course. Eat your breakfast.”

But Lillian knew better.

Something was coming.

And it wasn’t going to be pretty.

I didn’t realize what I was doing until every pair of eyes in the room locked onto me. My wolf was seething, her fury boiling over at the sight of Celeste draped all over Sebastian. I could barely restrain her. She wanted to tear into flesh, and for the first time, I wasn’t sure I could hold her back completely. She had never reacted like this before, and I had to admit—it terrified me.

Then Oliver’s small hand curled around my wrist, and that was the only thing that grounded me. Even my wolf knew better than to lose control in front of a child. I sucked in a sharp breath, exhaling shakily. My gaze flicked to Sebastian’s, and the displeasure in his eyes was unmistakable. He murmured something to Celeste, who immediately stepped back, tucking her hands at her sides. Her eyes never left mine, sharp and assessing. She didn’t look happy either. The others? They were watching with barely concealed amusement, clearly entertained by the drama.

Before I could process anything, Sebastian was beside me, his grip iron-tight around my wrist as he dragged me toward the villa. I nearly tripped over my own feet, his anger radiating off him in suffocating waves. It made my pulse spike. I had never felt this kind of fury from him before—and knowing it was directed at me made it ten times worse.

When we were far enough from prying eyes, he finally released me, spinning to face me. His expression was stormy, jaw clenched.

"Is this arrangement too much for you?" His question hit me like a physical blow.

"W-what?" My voice wavered.

"Is this going to be a problem? Other women being near me?" His tone was icy. "Because if it is, we end this now. You can stay in the mansion, but we go back to being nothing more than employer and employee."

"I don’t know what happened," I blurted. "My wolf—she lost control for a second. But she’s fine now."

He studied me, silent for a long moment. Then, coldly: "You made a scene out there. You knew they were filming today. Didn’t Victoria inform you?"

Frowning, I pulled out my phone. No messages. Victoria had been distant lately, but would she really sabotage me like this? I bit my lip, hesitating.

"I must have missed it," I muttered, unwilling to throw her under the bus. The last thing I needed was to cause tension between Sebastian and his daughter.

He exhaled sharply. "I have damage control to do. If you’re going to act like a child, then leave. Take your tutoring sessions somewhere else."

His words stung, sharp as a slap. I stood frozen, watching him stride away, my chest tight.

A moment later, Oliver appeared at my side, his small face creased with concern. "Are you okay, Lillian?"

I swallowed hard, forcing a smile. "Yeah. Just… a bad moment."

But inside, my wolf was still restless, and I had no idea what that meant—or what it would cost me.

I didn't want Donovan to sense my unease, so I plastered on a smile and gave a quick nod.

"Sounds good," I replied. "How about we hit the villa's gym for some training today?" I suggested, forcing lightness into my tone.

He agreed, and we made our way to the back of the estate, stepping into the sleek, well-equipped gym. The next hour was spent pushing our limits—weights clanging, sweat dripping, breaths ragged. By the time we finished, exhaustion clung to us both, muscles trembling from exertion.

As I was leaving, my gaze caught Victoria emerging from the kitchen. She froze mid-step when she spotted me, her expression hardening instantly. The disapproval in her eyes was unmistakable.

"Why didn't you mention they were filming at the training grounds today?" I demanded, crossing my arms over my chest.

Her lips curled into a dismissive smirk. "Must've slipped my mind," she said with a careless shrug before turning toward the staircase.

My patience snapped. "Is there something going on between us, Victoria?" I called out, halting her retreat.

She paused, then turned back with an exaggerated tilt of her head. "Why would you think that?" Her voice dripped with false innocence, but the venom beneath was impossible to miss.

The realization hit me like a blow—she had been avoiding me. Worse, she was angry. But why? My pulse quickened, frustration heating my cheeks.

"What did I do to make you resent me?" I pressed, stepping closer. "I thought we were friends, but you're acting like anything but."

For a heartbeat, silence stretched between us. Then she let out a sharp, bitter laugh, spinning to face me fully. Her glare was glacial, sending an involuntary shiver down my spine.

"You want to know what's wrong?" she hissed, eyes flashing with something dangerous. "Let's start with the fact that you—"